The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-08-03
SPECIAL AND PERSONAL.
Tur R1DDLrnEEGtR BILL.
WnTE SULPHUR SPRINGS.
Annu.i Ii. ISL

= u-A rA l"Nf i.|.it
r. The E,Ef0ro IN. Times
Tie Democratic Convention, which
meets ON the lth instant, would DO well
io beware how they make the Riddle
berger settlement $50 called a ne pi"s
UHu. There are thousands Of Democrat,
I'm the State who have eyer regarded the
preamble Of one Of those acts (Which
together constitute the scheme a. Ut
tcrlv false. and the enactment generally
a- fraud upon the States creditors.
These are not men who are likely 10
accept a party platform a. substitute
for fbcir conscience. Whatever the
mower Of the State may prove TO be they
are unaltcrably unwilling 10 see u eX-
erci,ed i'm disregard Of her moral obliga
tiops. Tie Democratic party four gears
ago accepted mot approyedl the iiid-
dlcbcrger settlement pronounced con-
stituti0nal bv the Supreme Court OF the
United Siates." That IS to say they
accepted il because pronounced constiiu-
tonal The Democratic party thereby
Acknowledged indeed invoked the au-
thority Of that court; how j. 1t then that
20 many Of its leaders now attempt 10
bring the decisions of that tribunal
i'm these very matters into con-
tempt. j. this righty is This
consistent2 Is Il not indeed
hazardous, i'm these days OF communism
and agrarianism TO seek 10 bring di-credit
in a question Of property rights and Of
the obligations of contracts upon the Opin-
ions and Judgment Of the highest judicial
tribunal in the land, which were very
good laws when they seemed To harmon
izc with our wishes, but the reverse when
they conflict with our unrighteOus pur-
poses. The Dispdth of the 3lst ult, viz
iually denies that the Supreme Court Of
the nited States has decided that " the
Riddleberger bin was unconstitutional.
Is il not true that the Supreme Court has
nullfed, a. unconstitutional, the opera
ton Of the measures which were deemed
all essential to the practical enforcement
Of that so-called settlement II this be
not the case why are the Disp1tct and
those who think with it, looking so
eagerly to the appointment of new
Judge whom they hope will ally himself
with the minority Of that Court and
override its decisions. The caution |
have above given ! am sure Is timely, ]
have conyersed here lately with
five or six gentlemen who are
men of influence, OF high char
acter and intelligence, and withal consis
tent Democrats, they are not, however,
self seeking politicians. OF this number
one declares that if Malone offers iuster
and more liberal terms 10 the creditors
than the Democratic Convention does, he
will 20 with Malone in the approaching
election. Another declares his purpose,
in such event, to stay away from the polls,
and two more are not positively certain
AS to their future action on this question.
Not one Of the six finds anything com
mendable in the Riddleberger scheme.
Let, then, our leaders sec to II that they
do not dig pit, fall into it themselves,
and drag the State and the party which
has heretofore been the hope of the State
along with it, This is from the hand Of
one who is not bondhOlder, but who is
loving son of Virginia, and a
LIFELONG DEMOCRAT.